Key takeaways
- Compare fee structure and workflow together — not in isolation.
- International clients and cross-border payouts can flip the better choice fast.
- Gross-up math matters when the amount you need to keep is non-negotiable.
- The better processor is the one that fits how you actually get paid.
Start with how you sell and invoice
If you mostly send simple invoices and your clients already expect PayPal, that familiarity can matter as much as the raw fee. If your work leans more toward productized services, custom checkouts, or embedded billing, Stripe may be a more natural fit.
The processor decision should follow the payment workflow you want to run — not just the fee you see on the pricing page.
Fee math only matters when tied to real job size
A fixed fee hits small invoices harder, while a percentage fee becomes more noticeable on large retainers or milestone payments.
That is why you should compare each processor against your actual invoice sizes rather than generic averages.
International and cross-border work can flip the answer
Freelancers working across borders tend to care about currency conversion, country coverage, payout timing, and how familiar the payment method feels to the client.
The lower headline fee can still lose if it creates more friction or worse payout handling in the markets where you actually do business.
Use gross-up logic when your take-home is fixed
If you need to keep a specific net amount after processor costs, gross-up math gives you a cleaner answer than guessing a buffer and hoping it works.
It also makes the processor comparison easier — you can see exactly how much each method changes the price you need to quote.
- Compare your real invoice sizes, not generic examples
- Check whether the client expects a payment link or an invoice flow
- Model the net amount you actually need to keep
- Choose the processor that fits both your pricing and your delivery workflow